


Shambolic Us

by a_ki_no_ko



Category: SixTONES (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Christmas, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hokuto's smell is irresistible, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Scents & Smells, Slow Burn, lots of hugs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26600128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_ki_no_ko/pseuds/a_ki_no_ko
Summary: Shintaro's addicted to hugging, and fascinated by Hokuto's scent.
Relationships: Matsumura Hokuto/Morimoto Shintarou, Mentioned Kouchi Yugo/Jesse Lewis
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Shambolic Us

**Author's Note:**

> Hi,  
> It's me and HokuShin again 😊
> 
> This is inspired by SixTONES' Monster Strike CM.  
> The fic mentions Christmas tho it's just September now 🤣 Hope you guys wouldn't mind.
> 
> Please kindly expect typos and grammar mistakes as usual  
> And ENJOY!

“How on earth can an acrobat machine like you slip on your own feet and twist your ankle?” 

“First I’m not a machine, in case you believe so. Second, even if I were a machine, things like this would still happen sometimes. It was just an accident.” Shintaro whines at the other's harshness. 

Hokuto has to show up late for his soccer team's practice to drag his injured buddy to the infirmary. 

“You don’t have to do this much if you don’t want to. My other leg can still work just fine.” 

“Shut up, Shintaro.” 

As soon as they arrive, Hokuto knocks on the unlocked door but nobody seems to be in charge, thus he decides to kick the door open and puts Shintaro onto the nearest bed. 

“Great, no nurses here.” Hokuto sarcastically complains. 

“I can deal with this myself. Just come back to the practice, captain.” 

“I'm not your captain. The coach would start the training even without me. I cannot trust you with the first aid. You already fucked up your ankle once and I'm not gonna let it happen twice.” 

It takes a minute or two for Hokuto to detect the first aid kit and pick a suitable medical bandage for Shintaro’s injury. He carefully wraps the piece of cloth around the swell just above his foot, trying to follow what he's been taught at class. 

“Hokuto?” Shintaro asks nonchalantly, looking at his friend kneeling on the floor. 

“What now?” His tone's kind of grumpy. 

“Are you wearing perfume?” 

“Hah?!” Hokuto has to lift his head for such unexpected question. 

“No, right? I think so, too." 

“Then why did you even ask? Did you hit your head somewhere also?” 

“No, just… Forget it.” Shintaro trails off. 

Hokuto insists on taking him home, he even makes Shintaro swear not to leave the infirmary until his practice finishes, so that the pain would ease down a bit and not get worse. 

. 

It snows on the next day, the very first snowfall of the winter. Boys and girls cover their the exposed skin from the chills with scarfs and gloves of all colors. But that doesn't apply to Shintaro, the boy looks exactly like his usual outlook, maybe with a hoodie to prevent his hair and uniform from getting soaked with the heavy snow. 

“You're gonna catch a cold with those few clothes on you.” 

Shintaro hasn't even passed the school gate when a familiar voice catches his attention. Hokuto’s been waiting for him. Since when? 

“Hokuto? Why the hell are you waiting out here? It's snowing you know!” 

“Why the hell can your leg possibly heal after just one night? It takes me a week at least you know!” 

“I told you the injury wasn't that bad. It’s just you who made a fuss about it.” 

“Yeah yeah, I’m the stupid one here, even dumber than a gorilla.” 

They keep talking why heading to their class. 

“Who's the gorilla?!” Shintaro acts offended yet still laughs. “I'm not saying you're dumb, mister-straight-A. Anyway, thanks for worrying about me.” 

“Gross.” 

“Aww, come on, Hokuto. You really need to learn how to accept other's gratitude. Come here.” 

Without warning, Shintaro pulls him into a back hug. 

“My ankle hasn't completely heal yet. You can help me walk to our class like this.” 

“What?” Hokuto snaps in a irritated tone, but doesn't shove the boy away. 

“Ah… it feels nice here.” Shintaro sniffs the scent of the other into his lungs, lets it sink in. “And it's warm.” 

“That’s why I told you to wear more clothes, gorilla!” 

“Hey!! I said I'm not a-" 

“What the heck are you two doing? It's only eight in the freaking morning.” 

They've arrived at their classroom and Juri is obviously judging both of them, he’s never in a good mood when it's still early. 

“I forgot my coat and Hokuto volunteered to help me.” Shintaro answered nonchalantly as he lets go of the poor boy in his arms. 

“I did not, dumbass!!!” The said one groans immediately. 

“Fine then. Jesse, can you lend me your back for a while?” Shintaro raises his loudest voice across the whole classroom. 

“Sure, why not?” The other replies, just as intensely. 

“Yayy!" Shintaro literally throws himself onto the other broad shoulders. “Ah… it's warm here too. I wanna sleep here.” 

“Can you please not scream your loud ass this early? You two are giving me a headache here.” Kouchi just can't take the most disastrous duo any longer, he’s always in the need to take a nap. 

. 

Hokuto and his teammates have just finished today's training, a mock battle. And of course he goaled, as expected from the ace of the school's soccer team. But he doesn't leave after the coach’s sign of dismiss, he runs towards the audience seats instead, though there is only one audience. 

“What are you up to this time?” Hokuto breathes as thick white steams leaving with every word. 

“I spotted a UFO and followed it here.” Shintaro chooses a random answer. 

“Cut it out." 

“Sorry, I was watching your match. Am I not allowed to?” 

“I didn't mean that.” Hokuto takes a seat next to his friend, taking a gulp of his water. 

“I just don't have anything to do, you know. My coach said I’m not allow to practice any acrobats for 3 days at least, Juri and Kouchi left early, Kyomo and Jesse are practicing with the orchestra.” 

“So you chose me to disturb instead?” 

“I was just watching quietly! Except when you goaled, I clapped for ‘ya!” 

“Yes, you did, like an over-excited idiot.” 

“You saw me?” 

“Everybody saw you. You are freaking there!” 

“Why do you have to act like a pain in the ass?” 

“You mean I have to learn how to accept that too?” 

“Exactly, I cheered for ‘ya! And this is the award for today’s MVP, a hug from me!” And he hugs Hokuto, again, burying his face on the other’s shoulder. 

“Urg, why are you always like this?” Hokuto complains but still giggles. 

“Because, hugs feel nice and warm, don’t they?” 

Well, Hokuto can’t deny part of him enjoys Shintaro holding him in his firm arms too. Shintaro lifts his head, resting his chin on the other’s shoulder instead. 

“How can you even smell good after a two-hour practice?” 

“How should I know?” 

. 

It still snows on the next day, but luckily stops by lunchtime. 

Six of them gather at their usual spot, the rooftop, enjoying their meal and encountering into a few matches of their recent favorite combat game. 

Shintaro claims that his fingers are too freezing for any game now, thus he chooses to take a seat behind Hokuto, winding his hands to the front, into Hokuto’s coat pockets and watches the others pulling themselves into the battle. 

Juri notices the sneaky scene in no time. It’s actually not bad if they’re gonna have another couple in the flock, he believes, thus he just wants to do a little investigation here. 

“You guys seem to be on good terms huh?” Juri raises his question while gulping his strawberry milkshake after their second game. 

“You mean me and Hokuto?” Shintaro asks back. “Have we ever not been on good terms before?” 

“No, but I mean it feels kinda... touchy now.” 

“Because Hokuto’s the best to hug in winter! And he smells nice too, you know!” Shintaro states, as if it were the most casual thing to talk about a friend, but it's enough to make Hokuto choke on his rice. 

“I know right? This guy really has such a good aroma, I thought it’s perfume at first!” 

“Juri! Why are you on his side now?” 

“Because it’s the truth! Urg... Why do you have every potential to be a lady-killer?” Juri fakes his groan. 

“Look who’s saying now, the guy that receives 20 chocolates on Valentines.” Hokuto mocks back. 

“If only I can find a girlfriend who smells just this good.” Shintaro lays his head onto the other’s back. “Or a boyfriend like Kouchi and Jesse.” 

“Well, I regret my acceptance now.” Kouchi immediately roasts his boyfriend. “This guy’s just too noisy for my sleep.” 

“Oh come on, Kooochiiiiii~” Jesse’s deafening whine fills up their talk in an instant. “You know I love you right? Right??” 

“Okay, okay, shut your mouth please! You’re gonna make me lose my hearing!” 

Hokuto laughs heartily, completely drawn into the amusing convo, even showing his cute fang, which Shintaro quietly cherishes from up close. 

“But there’s no way I'm gonna be your boyfriend, you know?” 

The flock quickly falls into silence, a deadly horrifying one, until Shintaro breaks the ice with his loudest voice. 

“Guess I need a splash in my face or else I’m not gonna survive math lesson in the afternoon. See ‘ya in class!” 

He retreats his hands from Hokuto’s pockets and dashes his way down the stairs in a wink. 

“Hokuto, that was a wrong move.” Juri says in his serious tone. 

“Huh? Why?” The forenamed guy snorts immediately. 

“Because Shintaro just made up an excuse, an obviously fake one.” Kyomoto points out. 

“Then I’m gonna have to be responsible for that?” 

“Who else’s gonna be?” Four voices snap back in unison. 

. 

The afternoon class begins with an absence at Shintaro’s desk, which is the very reason why Hokuto can’t even focus on the formula written on the board, mind looking forward to the final bell more desperately than ever. 

In the meantime, the boy who just played truant spends his time wandering around his school, under the heavy snow. His feet instinctively lead him to the soccer field, which he has visited countless times, he can’t remember anyone’s position but that of a certain member. Shintaro takes his steps and stops at the very spot. 

_So this is the sight Hokuto would see from here?_

He adverts his eyes towards the audience seats, where he would stay and wait for Hokuto to goal every time he finds a chance to watch the team’s practice. It’s clearer than he thought, that should be the reason why Hokuto always knows when he arrived there, when he clapped, when he cheered for his goals and when he did other stupid stuffs. 

And he’s scared of whether Hokuto would ever look at him the same, scared of the possibility that he’s the only one to fantasize of an impossible future. 

Shintaro drops himself onto the tender snow, it feels freezing against his skin, and it hurts, but never equals to the inner torture he has to suppress. 

Why did Hokuto laugh at that time? As if it were so certain that there would be no happy ending for all of his effort, just like the most beautiful snow flake casts down on him magnificently and then disappears in his own hand before he can even grab a hold. 

. 

The bell Hokuto has been waiting for finally comes, he speeds out of the classroom, exactly same way Jesse shoots himself to the canteen when noon break starts. Hokuto runs with all his might to a certain place, he’s much of a logical person yet now all of his instincts tell him only one way to go. 

Hokuto arrives at the familiar field, already colored in layers of glittery snow. It doesn’t take him long spotting the one he’s been looking for. He can easily tell that Shintaro has been here the whole time as white flakes have covered most of his brunette hair, his uniform, and his backpack as well. 

“Yo, Hokuto!” Shintaro raises his voice as the other steps in to his view. 

“Don’t ‘Hokuto’ me while you moron just skipped class!” Hokuto yells his lungs out, doesn’t even bother hiding his anger. 

“So... You came all the way just to tell me that?” 

“Of course not, idiot! Here, today’s math lesson.” He tosses the notebook onto ground, trying his best not throw it straight into the other’s face. 

“You don’t need to. I’m not gonna understand it anyway...” Shintaro pouts his lips, avoiding eye contact. 

“Wha- You are not Kyomoto. Don’t act spoiled. Even if you couldn’t understand, you should ‘ve just attend the class. At least we can watch over you.” 

“Is that what I am to you? A kid huh?” Shintaro still doesn’t look at him in the eyes. 

“Hah?! What do mean by that?” 

“Nothing. Forget it.” Shintaro gets up, takes the notebook and his backpack with him. “Anyway, thanks for this. I’ll give it back tomorrow.” Shintaro turns his back, waving his hands as he walks further from Hokuto. 

“Hey, Shintaro!!” Hokuto screams. “Promise me you would give that back tomorrow, okay?” He pants. 

Why does he have to be this desperate? Why is there this throb inside him? Why is he afraid of losing something important, something he can’t even put a name? 

. 

Hokuto arrives at school one hour early, just to lean his back onto the opened school gate, eager to see a certain ‘friend’, but every time someone calls out for him, they are not the one he’s waiting for. Hokuto calms himself by convincing his mind that Shintaro may be a little late today, until the first bell rings and the gates shut closed before his eyes. Yet even when he’s already in the lesson, Hokuto believes Shintaro would definitely make it to the class no matter what, that guy has never taken any day off since the day they met anyway. 

However his last hope vanishes when the head teacher announces that Morimoto Shintaro’s going to be absent for all of today’s classes. 

_What happened to him?_

_Why does he have to take a day off?_

_Does he get sick?_

_Is it that bad?_

_Or does he just simply not_ _wanna_ _go to school?_

_Why?_

_Did I ..._

_Did I just lose him?_

All the questions creep up on his mind, repeating over and over, yet no answer found. Worries and fears set his mind and entire body on fire, and once again, Hokuto’s dying for the last bell, which would release him from the most torturing classes he has ever had. 

_I want to see him again, no matter what._

_._

Hokuto feels his nerves tense as he presses the bell at the front gate of the Morimoto’s house. He has run all the way here, without preparing what to say. 

It is fortunate that Hokuto’s been here before, Mrs Morimoto welcomes him in with hospitality, offers some drink, which Hokuto just politely refuses, and she informs him that her son’s in his bedroom upstairs. As Hokuto arrives in front of the room, he knocks, there is no reply, thus he cautiously turns the doorknob and immediately catches the scene of Shintaro sleeping on his bed. 

Hokuto steps closer for a better look, he has never seen Shintaro like this. Pale lips, face covered in sweats, his fringes are pulled back while a cold pack sticks on his forehead, the uneven breaths seem more like heavy gasps and his eyelids flutter from time to time. 

Shintaro must have caught the cold yesterday, when he was rolling on the ground filled with frigid snow. An awkward guilt invades Hokuto’s mind even though that wasn’t completely his fault, _was it?_ Hokuto carefully reaches for his hand, which feels like burning against his skin, after a while Shintaro tiredly cracks his eyes. 

“Who’s it...?” 

His murmur’s barely audible, he blinks a few times before widening his eyes in terror. 

“Hokuto?!” 

Shintaro abruptly sits up, retreats his hand from the other’s grip to clutch his head, trying to suppress the ache and panic at the same time. 

“Why are you here in my room?” Shintaro raises the question when he’s managed to calm himself. 

“I...” 

_I just want to see you so bad and it_ _’s been_ _driving_ _me crazy the whole day without you._

Yet none of those words ever leaves his tongue. 

“... thought you might need these notes.” Hokuto takes out some notebooks from his school bag. “You can give them back to me on Monday...” 

Hokuto doesn’t even understand why he blurts out such ridiculous sayings. What scares him to be honest to Shintaro, and to himself? 

“Yeah... Thanks for coming.” Shintaro turns to face the wall, snatching his look of disappointment from their eye contact. 

“Shintaro...” Hokuto finally gains the courage to speak up. “Well... About yesterday...” 

“Enough, Hokuto!” Shintaro raises his voice. “Just... not here, not today, not now... please...” 

Hokuto swears it sounds trembling and close to an outcry more than ever. 

“Okay then... Get better soon...” He tries his best to keep his voice from cracking. “I’ll see you on Monday...” 

After the door’s closed shut behind him, a droplet of tear falls down beyond his control, Hokuto quickly wipes the wetness away and gasps for air to calm himself. He gives the last greeting to Shintaro’s mom before leaving with a heavy inner wound. 

. 

A new week begins, Hokuto already flops on his table, eyes staring non-stop at a certain empty seat across the classroom. 

“You okay, dude?” Jesse taps his shoulder, noticing Hokuto’s gloomy state. 

“Of course not!” Juri whacks the tall boy. “Sulking early in the morning is so not Hokuto, dumbass.” 

The bell rings, still nobody appears at the very empty seat. Hokuto doesn’t have the heart to keep looking anymore, he buries his face onto the hard wooden surface, wondering if he may ever see him again. He can hear door sliding open and footsteps, probably the teacher. 

“Good for you, Shintaro, the teacher hasn’t come yet.” 

Kyomoto’s voice snaps Hokuto from his mental drowning. 

“Cool! That was so close. Morning guys!” 

Hokuto immediately turns his look towards the back door. Shintaro is smiling, just as shiny as ever, dressing a little different with a scarf and an overcoat. Fellow classmates quickly approach him, asking various question about his physical state, which makes Hokuto kind of envy. He wants to talk to Shintaro too, perhaps even more than anyone here. Just when Hokuto's about to get up, the teacher arrives and lesson begins, Hokuto wants to slap himself for losing such a chance. 

Their first short break finally comes. As the class just greeted their teacher, Hokuto instantly drops down onto the chair, shuts his eyes and rehearses what he has planned to tell Shintaro in his head. 

_Yes, I just need to ask him if_ _he's feeling better and if my notes actually helped. Just as simple as_ _…_

“Hokuto?” 

“Uwahh!!!” 

Shintaro's been standing in front of him before he even realizes. 

“Don't scare me like that!” 

“Sorry haha, I didn't mean to.” 

Shintaro laughs, heartily and gloriously in the other’s eyes, and now that Hokuto realizes how much he missed it, how much it used to empower him every time, how his heart throbs before it. 

“I just want to give these back to you.” He hands out the neat notebooks with Hokuto’s name written on them. “They helped me a lot. Thanks for lending me.” 

“Oh, yeah... You’re welcome...” Hokuto stutters a little, suddenly he’s at a loss for words, completely forgot what he intended to say. “S- Shintaro, I... I just...” 

“About what happened between us,” The other cuts his sentence. “Let’s just forget them, shall we? I’m sorry for acting so selfish. But you’re a precious friend of mine, Hokuto. I just don’t want our friendship to end here.” 

Hokuto says nothing, his chest clenches too tight for him to even utter anything to be exact. How could Shintaro just let out those cruel words in such a casual and mature manner? They stab Hokuto immorally, sharper than thousands of knives. He blinks and draws a deep breath to stop his tear from falling. ‘Friend’ is not the right term he wanted to hear, but Hokuto would rather that than having Shintaro disappear from his life. 

“Yeah... Sure. We’re always friends, of course.” Hokuto tries to control his shaky voice and forces out a smile, bitterly. 

“Thanks, Hokuto!” Shintaro pats the other’s shoulder, like he always did to cheer up the other, yet this time Hokuto feels nothing but pain. 

“I’m going to the restroom. See ’ya later.” The excuse is honestly Hokuto’s last effort before he cowardly runs away from their conversation, too drained to even look at Shintaro’s face. 

It’s he who is the selfish one, who was supposed to say sorry, who didn’t realize Shintaro’s feelings and then it’s already too late. 

. 

The following weeks are filled with a dull and gray tone to Hokuto. Shintaro still greets and talks to him like usual, and they still hang out with their group of friends, playing video games on the rooftop during lunch or sometimes at the game center after school. But there’s no hug, no genuine smile, no intimate contact between them, only Hokuto’s silent observing the other from afar and stealing glances when nobody notices. Now that Hokuto realizes how those casual touches on his skin and Shintaro’s body heat can magically warm up his day. 

Time drifts slowly towards the end of the year, when Christmas carols can be heard throughout the bustling streets, sparkling lights and decoration fill up every corner of their town, the alluring aroma of freshly baked loafs reminds people of the most awaiting holiday in winter. 

The group of teenage boys has their own plan for this year’s Christmas. Kyomoto’ll probably spend the whole evening with his parents at some fancy restaurant, Jesse’ll take a few days off for a quick visit in Vegas, the major of them choose to stay with their family. 

The 24th eventually comes, the merry joy fills up the atmosphere, even in their classroom, cheerful smiles can be seen on everyone. Just like the previous year, the boys decide to spend their lunch time checking up on Jesse through face call. Part of Hokuto’s glad that he’s able to spend this time of year with these friends of his. Yet happy moments never last long, it’s already time to say goodbye. 

He arrives home, helps his mom prepare dinner and has an enjoyable meal with his parents and brother. Hokuto is mature enough, he doesn’t need the presents under the Christmas tree or Santa to grant him his wish. Yet once he closed the door behind after biding goodnight to his family, he feels loss. 

Hokuto climbs on his bed, leaning his head onto the window frame, eyes admiring a splendid parade of luminescence on the other side of the thick glass. Dots of colorful light are shimmering along winding streets, flashing on and off repeatedly on the front door of every household, arranged neatly up on those skyscrapers, and the sky is clear enough to reveal the tiny stellar glows, outshone by the city lights but possessing unique charm. 

Hokuto takes a glance at the clock on his desk, just a few minutes before the it strikes midnight, and he waits, maybe for a meteor, or a sleigh pulled by reindeers to appear among the ultraviolet background of the magical eve. 

And maybe, just maybe he wants to bet on the childish tale, that Christmas miracle would somehow make his longing come true. 

. 

Hokuto walks along the empty street, the sun just rose minutes ago. It’s forecasted that there would be no snowfall till the end of the day, the piled-up glittery dunes on the pavement are now melting under the warming air. He passes the school gate, patrolling around the building area, towards the soccer field at the back. There is no apparent reason for him to come here this early but for a mysterious force that pushed the back of his mind in the Christmas morning. 

Hokuto can see the evergreen from afar, as the thick layer of snow has almost vanished completely, only small white spots scattering the ground like puddles after rain. His eyes widen a little as he catches the figure of someone, who he knows too well and probably the one he needs to see the most. 

Shintaro’s lying on the field, as if the boy were absorbing the purest form of energy directly from the bright blue sky. He turns his head as footsteps can be heard. 

“Hokuto?” 

“What are you doing here this early, dude?” Hokuto kneels beside his ‘friend’. 

“Well... I don’t know. I just feel like coming here today. You?” 

“Yeah... me too.” He breathes out with a white smoke. 

“Anyway, have you got any Christmas present yet?” Shintaro chooses a random question as usual. 

“I don’t really need them anyway.” 

“But it feels nice doesn’t it? Getting presents from others?” 

“Well... you’re not wrong tho.” 

“What type of gift would you like to receive, Hokuto?” 

And Hokuto is taken aback, not because he doesn’t get the answer, rather he’s surprised at the fact that Hokuto has never been so sure of what he’s about to say. 

“A hug.” 

And Shintaro turns to him, gazing intensely at the other in disbelief, eyes flashing some overwhelmed emotion. A few seconds pass and he finally made up his mind to take action. Shintaro sits up, hesitantly reaches out for Hokuto’s arms, making sure there is no slightest sign of resist, only to find Hokuto snugging closer, and he gently pulls him into an embrace, resting his chin onto the other shoulder, fingers running into his silky hair. 

And he feels like they fit each other just well, like the whole world falls into the right place. Shintaro never thought he’s been craving for Hokuto's pleasant scent that bad, he slowly inhales the fragrance, tattooing the feeling into his memory as though he could never hold him this tight ever again. 

But Hokuto washes away those worries in no time, as he clutches his hand on the back of Shintaro’s coat, pulling them closer just in case there’s still any gap in between them. He shuts his eyes, feeling the heat radiating from the other into himself, warmth, tenderness and absolute peace. And when Shintaro's arms loosens a tiny bit, he can’t help gripping harder, fears that the moment will not last long. 

“Don't let go…” Hokuto murmurs quietly. “Just a little more… please…” 

And he lets out a relieved sigh when he feels Shintaro nod on his shoulder, rubbing his hair and patting on his back, giving him all the time he wishes for. 

“I'm sorry, Shintaro…” Hokuto’s voice is so soft, as though he wants Shintaro to be the only one to hear. “I wanted to tell you this for so long, but I was a coward and didn't dare to. I'm… I'm afraid, that you'll leave me…” 

And he really is, even now, he doesn't know how long he can hold the other up close like this. Things are gonna be different after that very moment, and if there’s no tomorrow, he wishes with all his might that he can be with Shintaro at the moment, which seems too short no matter what. 

“I was so ignorant and I hurt you back then. And when I regretted it, you were all already so far away…” Hokuto trembles with each word he says. “You are just too kind, Shintaro, do you know that? Even though you were hurt, you still want to be friend with me and that makes me feel even guiltier than I already was. How can I deserve you? Do I have the right to stay by your side?” 

And Hokuto can't hold back the outflow of his tears and emotions any longer. He lets them run, on his cheeks and then land onto the other's coat. Shintaro can feel his shoulder soaked with warm droplets, hot rushing breaths and piled-up sorrow, and he’s glad that he can offer Hokuto something to lean on. 

The two eventually loosen their arms after a couple of minutes, gleaming traces of tear are all over Hokuto’s stunning face, but soon wiped away by Shintaro’s warm hand. 

“I’m sorry...” Hokuto utters between his sobs. 

And this time, Shintaro has to silence him with a finger on his puckering lips. 

“Thanks for telling me your true feelings, but that was enough.” He cupped Hokuto's flushed face in his firm hands. “If you really want you to be with me, I think you just need to be honest to yourself.” 

And he gives Hokuto a smile, not a casual friendly one, but a genuine one which shines with affection, the one Hokuto loves from the bottom of his heart, and he can't be ever happier to finally see it again. 

“Hokuto, I love you.” It’s only Shintaro’s caramel voice echoing in the air but Hokuto feels his heart scream the exactly same three words, at the exactly same time. They both lean in and their lips meet. 

Their first kiss tastes just right, with the sweetness of candy canes, the heat of fireplace, the overwhelming joy of the most awaiting occasion in the year and the miracle of Christmas Day. 

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my beta reader as always.
> 
> Thank you guys for reading and comments are always welcomed. 💖


End file.
